Clara A. Marshall

Clara A. Marshall, 95 Elm Creek resident Clara A. Marshall, 95 of Elm Creek, died Friday, August 8, 2014 at the Mother Hull Home in Kearney. Funeral Services will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday August 13, 2014 at the Elm Creek United Methodist Church with Rev. Dennis Wheeler officiating. Burial will follow at the Elm Creek Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Chapel in Elm Creek. Memorials are suggested to Williamsburg Methodist Church or the Elm Creek School Foundation. Condolences may be shared at www.osrfh.com. O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Clara Ann (Johnson) Marshall was born February 8, 1919 in Mead County Kansas. She died……….. Clara’s father died just a few months after she was born. In 1922 her mother, Kate, married Fred Johnson and he became the only father she ever knew, calling her “Dutch”, his little tomboy. Shortly after Fred & Kate were married they moved to Nebraska, where Fred farmed and worked as a cook. Because of this they moved often and Clara attended several different grade schools. In later years they settled on the Johnson Family farm near Elm Creek, NE. Clara attended Elm Creek High School. After graduation she went to Kearney Normal Training School and received her teacher’s certification. Clara taught school in Los Angeles, CA for 1 year, returning to Nebraska where she taught 4 years in East 12 District, 1 year at District 40 and 1 year at District 59. During the summers she worked at the Elm Creek Drug Store. In 1942, she met Keith Marshall while he was home on leave from the Navy. They struck up a 3 week friendship until he returned to duty and continued to correspond. When he returned a few months later Keith proposed and they were married the next day, Oct 26, 1942. Keith returned to duty the very next day. Clara soon followed Keith to Seattle where they lived for a few months until he was deployed for WWII. Keith & Clara moved often in the early years of their marriage before returning to Elm Creek. In 1950 they adopted a daughter, Sandra Kay, the joy of their lives. In 1954 they purchased a farm in Phelps County, south of Elm Creek where they made their home for 36 years. During this time Clara cooked for the R-3 School, made wedding cakes, and worked for the USDA counting swine. In 1968 the joy of their life, Sandy, was killed in a car/train accident. That fall Keith and Clara took the love they had and opened their home to a succession of exchange students, Kerstin (Sweden), Hanne (Finland), Gitte (Denmark), Anna (Sweden). For several years after the exchange students Keith & Clara served as chaperones to the Elm Creek senior classes on their “sneak trip”. They were also “adopted” parents and grandparents to many more kids. Clara and Keith retired from the farm and moved into Elm Creek in 1990 into “Grandma Kate’s” house directly across the street from the school, becoming the “go to” place for numerous students. In 2008 recognizing the importance of education and progress she sold her home and lot to the Elm Creek School District and moved to Easy Street. Clara enjoyed playing basketball and swimming in her younger years. Later she took up golf. She was a member of the Williamsburg United Methodist Church, Williamsburg Extension Club, Williamsburg Coffee Group, American Legion Auxiliary, Elm Creek Garden Club and several Bridge Clubs. She was a 4-H leader, and pie maker extraordinaire, and has made hundreds of crocheted quilts for weddings and babies, along with cross stitched kitchen towels and pillowcases. Clara was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Kate Johnson, her husband Keith, and daughter Sandy. She is survived by several nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law, Betty Williams, Wanda Marshall and Lucretia Fisher; and a multitude of others who called her mom, aunt, grandma and friend.

Clara A. Marshall

February 8, 1919 - August 8, 2014